News

Get creative for this year's well-dressing

MALVERN people are being urged to get creative for this year's well-dressing festival, which will be held over the May Day bank holiday weekend.

Malvern Spa Association has just announced that the theme of this year's festival will be ‘Celebration’.

"The idea for the theme came from the Guides, who decorate the Hayslad spout at West Malvern Road," said Lionel Butcher of the Association.

"This year, the Guides celebrate their centenary, so we decided that celebration would be a suitable theme for this year's event.

"It doesn't have to be about Guiding. There are other anniversaries that could inspire well-dressers. For instance, this year is the 150th anniversary of the railway coming to Malvern, and its also
100 years since the death of Florence Nightingale, who came to Malvern for the water cure."

Mr Butcher said some 35 wells were dressed last year, and he is expecting a similar turn-out this year Wells should be dressed on Friday, April 30, and the decorations will remain up over the bank
holiday weekend. There will be inter-faith, druid and other water-blessing ceremonies during the festival.

As always, the spa association will be running minibus tours of the decorated wells, led by chairman John Harcup and Ray Roberts.

The association is also looking for pictures of Malvern wells dressed prior to the revival of the festival as an organised event in the 1990s.

Anyone who can help, or who wants to be involved with the well dressing should 01684 560098 or welldressing@malvernspa.org.uk.